Seam and hem gauge



P 14, 1954 G. M. HESS SEAM AND HEM GAUGE FiledDec. 6, 1952 INVENTOR. Ger frude M Hess BY Patented Sept. 14, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a seam and hem gauge for use by dressmakers, tailors, and other engaged in the fabrication of garments from textiles. It is particularly applicable for use by amateur dressmakers and tailors desiring to impart a professional appearance to their work.

It is the primary purpose of this invention to provide a gauge which may be used to mark fabrics preliminary to sewing seams, turning hems, and making scallops. As a result, these and similar sewing operations are greatly simplifled and accelerated.

The manner in which the foregoing purpose is accomplished will be apparent from a consideration of the accompanying specification and claims, considered together with the drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the seam and hem gauge of the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 22 of Figure 1.

As is apparent from the drawings, the seam and hem gauge of m invention includes a central shaft It provided with a first calibrated section [2 at one of its .ends and a second calibrated section l4 at the other of its ends. The calibrations or gauge marks may be in any desired units, but preferably are in inches.

Rigid to the end of shaft Ill, adjacent the calibrated section I2, is a sleeve [6 provided with a thumb screw I8. This comprises mounting means for a chalk 20 which may be maintained in a vertical position as illustrated.

At the other end of shaft ll], 1. e. adjacent the calibrated section I4, is a sleeve 22 provided with a thumb screw, not shown, but adapted to clamp a chalk 24 within the sleeve. Chalk 24 normally is disposed substantially at right angles to chalk 20.

Rotatably mounted on shaft intermediate the calibrated sections thereof is a wheel 26. This has for its function moving the gauge across the work, thereby making possible marking of the same with one of the chalks.

The assembly is held and manipulated by a handle 28 having a clevis section 36 in one of the arms of which is a transverse threaded opening 32. The arms of the clevis section terminate in bearings 34, 36 which mount the clevis and handle rotatably on shaft ID. of these, bearing 34 has an outwardly and rearwardly extending arm 38, having therein an indentation or lateral opening 46. Arm 38 extendssubstantially perpendicular to clevis 30.

Bearing 36 has therethrough a perforation 42 2 which is threaded and designed to accommodate a thumb screw 44. This has for its purpose releasably locking the handle assembly to the shaft I0.

Also mounted on shaft I0 is a second clevis 46, the arms of which terminate respectively in bearings 48 and 50. This assembly is dimensioned to nest over bearings 34, 36 of the handle assembly. Bearing 48 carries an arm 52 which extends rearwardly parallel to and adjacent arm 38. Through arm 52 there is a threaded opening which registers with opening 40 in arm 38 and which is designed to accommodate a thumb screw 54. A pivot point 56 in the form of a sharpened projection at the apex of clevis 46 completes the clevis assembly.

The operation of the seam and hem gauge of the present invention is as follows:

When it is desired to mark a seam or hem, thumb screw 44 is released and the wheel assembly moved in an axial direction until the desired reading is obtained on calibrated section 12. Thumb screw 44 then is tightened, thereby locking the handle assembly to shaft Ii), thus permitting the rotation of wheel 26. During this operation arms 38 and 52 are locked together by means of screw 54. This maintains chalk 20 in a vertical position while clevis 46 and chalk 24 are maintained at right angles to chalk 20.

When it is desired to make scallops using the presently described gauge, thumb screw 44 is released, permitting adjustment of the wheel assembly a predetermined distance as measured on the calibrated section [4 from chalk 24. Screw 44 then is tightened locking the handle assembly to the shaft assembly.

Screw 54 then is released and withdrawn from opening 40 in arm 38. Thereupon the assembly associated with clevis 46 is moved through until screw 54 registers with opening 32 in one of the arms of clevis 36. The screw is inserted in this opening. This places clevis 46 and chalk 24 in a vertical position, aligned with both chalk 20 and handle 28. The device then may be used as a compass to mark out scallops of the desired dimensions using pivot point 56 and chalk 24 for this purpose.

Thus it will be apparent that by the present invention I have provided an apparatus which may be used rapidly, conveniently and efficiently for a diversity of purposes in the dressmaking and tailoring art. Thus in addition to being used for a seam and hem marker, it may also be used as a compass for marking arcuate lines on goods, as in the making of scallops. The device furthermore is simple to adjust to any predetermined and selected operating position and is of simple construction and easily used.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A marking device comprising a shaft, a first calibrated section on one end of the shaft, a second calibrated section on the other end of the shaft, first marking means, mounting means for mounting the first marking means rigidly to one end of the shaft, second marking means, second mounting means for mounting the second marking means rigidly on the other end of the shaft substantially at right angles to the first marking means, a wheel rotatably mounted on the shaft between the calibrated sections, a handle, a first clevis attached to the handle and straddling the Wheel, one arm of the clevis having a threaded perforation therethrough,

first and second bearings attached respectively to each of the arms of the first clevis for mounting the same rotatably on the shaft, an outwardly and rearwardly extending first arm having a transverse opening therein attached to the bearing associated with the perforated clevis arm, a screw penetrating one of the bearings mounting the first clevis for releasably engaging the shaft, a second clevis, a pivot point mounted on and extending outwardly from the apex of the second clevis, first and second bearings attached one to each of the arms of the second clevis for rotatably mounting the same on the shaft adjacent the first clevis, a second arm extending outwardly from one of the bearings mounting the second clevis, and having a threaded perforation therethrough, and screw means seated in the transverse perforation in the second arm and extendable into a selected one of the openings in the first arm and in the first clevis, thereby permitting the adjustment of the second clevis into a first position wherein the first marking means is operative and into a second position wherein the second marking means is operative.

2. A marking device comprising a calibrated shaft, first marking means, mounting means for mounting the first marking means rigidly on one end of the shaft, second marking means, second mounting means for mounting the second marking means rigidly on the other end of the shaft slidably mounting the second clevis on the shaft adjacent the first clevis, a second arm extending outwardly from the second bearing means, and means for releasably locking the second arm to the first arm, thereby permitting the adjustment of the second clevis into a first position wherein the first marking means is operative and into a second position wherein the second marking means is operative.

3. A marking device comprising a calibrated shaft, first marking means, mounting means for mounting the first marking means rigidly on one end of the shaft, second marking means, second mounting means for mounting the second marking means rigidly on the other end of the shaft at an angle to the first marking means, a wheel rotatably and slidably mounted on the shaft, a handle, a first clevis attached to the handle and enclosing the wheel, first bearing means mounting the first clevis rotatably and slidably on the shaft, a first arm extending outwardly from the first bearing means, means on the first clevis for releasably locking the same to the shaft, a second clevis, a pivot point extending outwardly from the apex of the second clevis, second bearing means rotatably and slidably mounting the second clevis on the shaft adjacent the first clevis, a second arm extending outwardly from the second bearing means, and means for releasably locking the second arm to the first arm, thereby permitting the adjustment of the second clevis into a first position wherein the first marking means is operative and into a second position wherein the second marking means is operative.

4. A marking device comprising a calibrated shaft, first marking means, mounting means for mounting the first marking means rigidly on one end of the shaft, second marking means, second mounting means for mounting the second marking means rigidly on the other end of the shaft at an angle to the first marking means, a wheel rotatably and slidably mounted on the shaft, a handle, means for rotatably and slidably mounting the handle on the shaft, a support member having a pivot point at the apex thereof, means for rotatably and slidably mounting the support member on the shaft, and means for releasably interlocking the support member and the handle in a first position wherein the first marking means is operative and in a second position wherein the pivot point and the second marking means is operative.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS I Date 

